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You need small doses of sodium as part of your daily diet to support muscle and nerve function and to keep your blood pressure normal. Too much salt, however, can cause negative health conditions. Canned beans are one high-sodium food that can contain upwards of 500 milligrams per serving, which is about one-fifth of your daily limit. You should still include beans in your diet because they are rich in protein and fiber, but take steps to reduce the sodium to keep them as nutritious as possible.

Sodium

If you're in good health, you should limit your intake of sodium to 2,300 milligrams or less a day. If you have heart disease, your upper limit of sodium is 1,500 milligrams a day. Regularly taking in more sodium than this can cause elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Too much salt might also cause water retention, which can be particularly dangerous for individuals with congestive heart failure.

Function

Manufacturers add sodium to beans for a number of reasons. Because canned beans have already been cooked, the sodium helps to preserve the beans and increase their shelf life. Adding sodium to canned beans also enhances their flavor. It's not necessary to add sodium to canned beans, however. The canning process helps extend the shelf life of the beans even without added sodium, and when you use the beans in recipes, you can enhance their taste with herbs and spices that don't add excess salt.

Techniques

Rinsing, draining or both can reduce the sodium content of canned beans. Draining the liquid from a can of beans can cut the sodium by as much as 36 percent, reports the website of Food & Culinary Professionals, a dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Rinsing the beans after you've drained them reduces the sodium content by as much as 41 percent. Open a can of beans and drain them in a colander for 2 minutes. Rinse the beans under cool, running water for 10 seconds. Drain the beans for another 2 minutes. Heat the beans and eat them plain or use them in your favorite recipes.

Considerations

While draining and rinsing canned beans reduces the amount of sodium they contain, it might also decrease the nutrient content of the food. A 2011 article published in the "Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology" reports that certain water-soluble nutrients might be lost when rinsing canned beans. For example, the study found that the vitamin C content of canned green beans was reduced by 10 percent when the beans were rinsed prior to eating them. Reducing the sodium content of beans is still a healthy way to increase their nutritional value. If you're concerned about nutrient loss, add healthy foods to the beans. Bell peppers, garlic, onions, celery and carrots are low in sodium and boost the nutrient content of the beans.

About the Author

Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver.